since the advent of the car, its presence in our lives becomes increasingly substantial, especially as the population migrates away from the city and needs to commute. polish firm KWK promes is nearing completion on the ‘auto-family house,’ a new single-family housing typology that incorporates the automobile into the ‘clean’ living space, making it an equally important and present fixture within the residence.

the client of this particular dwelling, an avid art collector, wanted a fluid space where the line between living and art could be erased, an idea which inspired the complete integration of the personal vehicle directly into the habitable program. a rectangular mass grows out of the ground, wraps around and continues above the green plinth. long stretched volumes display artwork in what can also be considered the reinterpreted driveway. concrete shear walls and one-way slabs support a green roof that creates a seamless transition on the site. the street level contains the garage door and driveway, which act as the new ‘main entry’ while public spaces are located on the elevated grass volume, and private bedrooms on the top floor overlooking the entrance to the site.

house peels out of elevated green plinth image courtesy of KWK promes

second storey image courtesy of KWK promes

site image courtesy of KWK promes

approach to the house image courtesy of KWK promes

the new ‘garage door’ image courtesy of KWK promes

driveway image courtesy of KWK promes

end of driveway/ entry to house image courtesy of KWK promes

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level 1

floor plan / level 2

section

evolution of form on site image courtesy of KWK promes

danny hudson I designboom

sep 20, 2012

16

HA HA HA HA
If I were a car I’d love this house. Unfortunately I’m not.
What a ridiculous way to park a car. Parking system is the most important part of this project that organizes rest of the floor plan. Architect was so focused on this parking idea that he didn’t realise all nonsense of this solution.

P.S
Love the mushrooms (on the second photo) in front of the living room

The problem was that entrance is located from the south so with ordinary house garden would be located from the north.
The architect made two levels from the south – entrance level, and upper one – garden. That’s an idea.

it feels like you entering in the shopping mall parking lvl. House area are nicely done but parking lane could have made it interesting by giving some natural light through for the displays shown in the lane wall.

The best way to experience art is at +10kmh! Also – does anyone know how much damage car exhaust does to materials, especially paintings which are advertised in the design plan?! A LOT of damage. This is a great way to devalue your investments.

This project (and the comments) clearly points out one of the difficulties of architecture the issue of practicality always gets in the way of the art of architecture. Lots of “critics” out there who refuse to accept that sometimes concerns like whether or not the garden can be properly situated take a back seat to the art of the paradigm (btw Mssr. M. a garden is not automatically a part of the program of a residence). This is concept architecture that has transcended the virtual world and become the real thing. Kudos to both the architects and the (enlightened) client.

and Ms. E, yes indeed you are missing something… you are missing a great deal

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